Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1887-02-25
Yves. virgI.ia Leg,.la.ure.


pie. It will be remembered that this
measure required for its passage two
thirds majority of the Legislature. This
IL lacked by only one vote. Then bill
was introduced and passed in the lower
house to prohibit the sale of intoxicating
LIQUORS and drinks within the State, and
as this was not constitutional amend
ment it only required majority. When
1t came up i'm the Senate, the opponents
of the prohibition amendment saw they
could not defeat the hill, so rather than
have it become law they agreed to
change their votes and gave the neces-
sary two-thirds majority to the consti.
tutional amendment. The submission
will be voted on in November, 1888, at
the next general election. The lower
house passed the resolution several
weeks ago. The bill prohibiting the
sale of liquors and drinks was then laid
OH the table. The following is the full
text of the bill:
House joint resolution No. /, proposing
an amendment to the Constitution of
the State, prohibiting the manufac-
ture and sale of intoxicating liquors.
Resolred by the Legislature Of West Vr-
ginia too thirds ofthe members elected
to each branch agreeing thereto,
That the following be and the same is
proposed as an amendment to the Con-
stitution of this State, to-wit.
That section forty-siX of article six of
said Constitution as it now is be strick-
ell out and the following be inserted in
lieu thereof:
"46. The manufacture, sale and keep
ing for sale Of all intoxicating liquors,
drinks, mixtures and preparations, ex-
cept as hereinafter provided, are for
ever prohibited in this State; and the
Legislature shall without delay provide
by appropriate legislation for the strict
enforcement of this provision. But the
Legislature may provide by law for the
manufacture, sale and keeping for sale,
of alchohol and preparations thereof for
scientific, mechanical and medicinal
purposes, and of wine for sacramental
purposes, under sufficient penalties and
securities, to ensure the due execution
of such laws as may be enacted under
this section"
Messrs. j. G. Maben and E. S. Jemi
son, committee representing the hold
ers of $4,000, 900 of what are known as
the West Virginia deferred certificates,
presented to the Legislature a commu-
nication rsciting that these certificates
TO the amount of about $l2 900, 900 were
issued by the State of Virginia in 1871.
Prior to that time the mother State had
arbitrarily assumed that West Virginia
should bear one-third of the ante bel
lum debt of the undivided State; but in
1871 the Wheeling ordinance was passed
by agreement of commissioners repre-
senting the two States fixing the pro-
portion OF the debt justly chargeable to
West Virginia for the $l2 COO, 900 certif-
Gates issued under the funding act of
1871. Virginia holds in trust her un-
redeemed bonds. Of this $12 900, 900
the State holds in various funds about
So, OOo, 900; of the remaining 100000
or SO, $S,000.000 are deposited at the
Farmers Loan and Trust Company in
New York, and Messrs. Maben and
Jemson represent the holders of these
So, 900, 900. They propose to turn over
to the State the certificates in exchange
for her bonds of date of maturity to be
fixed by the Legislature to such an
amount, with interest to the date Of the
proposed settlement, as was reported by
her duly appointed commissioners in
1871 to be due by West Virginia, which
report was duly received and ratified
by the Legislature. This is the first
proposition ever made to the State by
the holders of the certificates. The
State has always held herself ready TO
settle on an equitable basis. The COM
mittee's proposal was referred by each
house to irs finance committee.
The following is a synopsis of the re-
port Of the joint legislative committee
appointed TO Investigate the manage
ment and examine into the condition of
the State penitentiary, and to report on
certain charges of inhuman treatment
of prisoners: The evidence was produc.
ed by the examination of witnesses out
side of the penitentiary as we'll AS by
convicts, and from the evidence the
committee discovered that instruments
for the infliction of inhuman punish
ment upon convicts were in use up to
June of last year, but were abolished
after that time by order of the directors.
The instruments OF torture were the
"Shoe-fly," kicking Jenny" and Bull
Rings" terrible machines for punish.
menr. After abolishing said machines
the directors fixed milder forms of pun
ishmeht, which did not endanger the
lives of convicts The committee rec
commended for the punishment of re-
fractory convict that he be handcuffed
to the bars of his cell door, so as to be
compelled to stand during the number
of hours he should have been at work,
with his hands on level with his
breast. In fragrant cases the prisoner
should be required to stand in that at
titude during the night, except two
hours, but in no case should a prisoner
be required to stand thus for more
than twenty-four hours continuously.
The superintendent at one time was be
trayed into the use of indiscreet express
- A. 4 4.